By Dr. Nicholas Igwe, CEO, Zenith Water Projects
SWA partners share the belief that government-led, collaborative, and multi-stakeholder decision-making processes lead to more sustainable, efficient and transparent solutions, than when development partners work alone. With the introduction of Mutual Accountability Mechanism (MAM) and the recent involvement of the private sector, I believe this vision can be better and quicker achieved.
In the spirit of the multi-sectorial collaboration within SWA, two members of Private Sector constituency - Zenith Water Projects Ltd (Nigeria) and Waterpreneurs (Switzerland) organized Innovate4Water Abuja on the 27 November 2018. The event fostered new relationships that will facilitate the achievement of the UNs SDG6 in Nigeria. The event successfully brought together water and sanitation innovators, investors and other stakeholders to accelerate innovation and diffusion, supporting sustainable technologies and business models for access to safe water and sanitation. It also supported and contributed to the theme of the next Sector Ministers' Meeting - “Leave No one Behind”.
State of Emergency and a call for action
Innovate 4 Water was held at a timely date, since on 8 November the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari declared a State of Emergency on Nigerian Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector.He said, “The Sustainable Development Goals targets 6.1 & 6.2 for WASH are even more demanding as they require WASH services to be provided in adequate quantity and quality on premises at affordable prices." According to him, "This cannot be achieved if we continue with 'a business as usual. I call on all state governments to complement this effort by according the sector similar recognition to enable us work together to achieve the SDG targets for WASH by 2030.”
Buhari directed government at all levels to redouble efforts and work towards meeting the nation's water supply and sanitation needs. His major demand falls with the joint work being done by SWA partners around the Collaborative Behaviours.
The contribution of Innovate4Water
Innovate4Water Abuja was designed to bring solutions to the emergency situation described above with the Team: The role of private sector in providing innovative solutions to the water and sanitation sector in Nigeria
The programme helped to facilitate the vision of SWA as it fostered new working relationships between the private sector and other sectors in the SWA. Most Private Sector companies had an opportunity to pitch their businesses; this sparked the interest of investors, governmental agencies and donor agencies. Hopefully, in the coming months, there will be the birth of new WASH projects as a result of the Innovate4water Abuja.
ZWPL
Zenith water projects Limited operates in Africa, as an innovative solution provider to water challenges in developing countries, with special focus on designs/fabrication of water, waste and sewage purification systems, operation and maintenance of Water infrastructure for municipal, industrial, rural and domestic plants with special emphasis on capacity building within the WASH sector. Zenith water projects Ltd is also a steering committee member of the SWA (sanitation and water for all).
WATERPRENERUR PROFILE
Waterpreneurs is a global “for-impact organization” supporting the scaling-up of impact investments financing the growth of water and sanitation (WASH) enterprises operating in developing countries, and respecting human rights.
Waterpreneurs fosters interactions between global players from the private sector, the public sector and from civil society to direct finance toward impact projects in the communities, with the main objective to foster local ecosystem consolidation.
The Event was endorsed by:
- Federal ministry of water resources
- Federal ministry of environment
- REEEP
- DFID
- AMCOW
- AFD
- AFREXIM BANK
- AMERICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL
Pitchers
- ZWPL – Water engineering company. Operates in Africa, as an innovative solution provider to water challenges
- Impact water - Impact Water delivers high-social-impact and affordable water treatment technologies, and long-term maintenance
- Action against hunger - Action Against Hunger is a global development and humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger
- Handy shower – Produces a simple device for washing hands and body especially in emergency situations caused by natural disasters or war
- Raincache - Provides a natural approach to managing rainwater, flood, erosion, water pollution and water shortage/deficit
- Danone communities - Incubator of business solutions targeting low income population
- Cubo environmental technologies - CUBO design, install and operate compact, modular, containerized, water treatment units for small population clusters and off-grid water distribution, able to provide safe drinking water at an affordable price.
- Susteq – Produces Water ATM, from which people benefit by making a small payment for a reliable source of safe water.
- The wellbeing foundation Africa – an organization that works towards wellbeing of Africans
- Glamobile - The GALMOBILE is an Independent, integrated Water Purification Vehicle, Designed to produce high-quality drinking water at World Health Organization standards
Guests
- World bank
- USAID
- WSSCC
- SATO
- Water Aid
- Rich flood intl Limited
- Fidelity bank
For more information on similar event happening around the world, please contact me.
